of the Old World. 421 



stunted grass, along which we travelled ten or twelve 

 miles, enjoying a magnificent prospect on each hand 

 of apparently boundless ranges of snow-capped moun- 

 tains and interminable forest. An inexpressible 

 feeling of silent contemplation and awe seemed to 

 pervade the entire company, as we rode along for 

 miles without exchanging an observation; indeed, 

 the solemn silence of uninvaded nature gave birth to 

 strange emotions bordering on fear, which seemed 

 inexplicable, considering the scenes that each and 

 every one of my party had gone through. 



From this we ascended a ridge of high rocks, in 

 some places covered with low scrub, where we en- 

 camped for the night, as we found some difficulty in 

 crossing a mountain-torrent that came tumbling over 

 a bed of huge boulders of green and black granite 

 with a roar like thunder. 



The next morning, having crossed this obstruction, 

 we clambered over the last crest of the mountain, a 

 deep valley only lying between us and the El-Bruz, 

 and commenced our descent in single file by a long 

 spur, along the back or ridge of which we pursued 

 our course for some miles without any feeling of 

 insecurity, as the sides, though steep, were densely 

 wooded, and obscured the terrors of the view. Sud- 

 denly, as we were skirting a scarped cliff, we came to 

 a sharp angle where we had to pass a narrow ledge 

 or shelf jutting out of the live rock, on which there 



